Book review
Ahead of the class
John Murray, April 2003
Author: Marie Stubbs
Review by Donald Clark -Epic
Bookshops are full of books on leadership from
the corporate perspective, yet few come out of organisations
in the public sector such as schools, an area which in the
main produces memoirs and diaries. This book is the exception:
A tight story written by a tough Glaswegian, Mary Stubbs,
who was plucked out of retirement and parachuted into a failing
London school.
It is a story well worth telling. Other similar
attempts have failed, most notably at the George Orwell School
in Islington. Marie's school, St George's, was one with comparable
problems - and, infamously, is the school where Philip Lawrence
was stabbed to death in front of his own pupils. It should
be added that this shocking act was not committed by a child
at St George's. However, the incident sent an already struggling
school into decline. With 52 languages other than English
spoken by the pupils, low attendance and demotivated teachers,
clearly the school had problems that needed an immediate solution.
The book is subtitled, 'How an inspiring headmistress
gave children back their future', but recognising the need
for a leading team rather than just a 'superhead', Marie Stubbs's
first act is to bring in her own team of experienced teachers,
Sean and Tracy. Together they quickly write an Action Plan
focused on the OFSTED inspection and recommendations. Marie
Stubbs has her run-ins with the LEA, diocese, governors and
some of the teachers - but her support for the OFSTED system
of inspection provides an interesting thread throughout the
book. Notwithstanding that support, you really do get a sense
of an overburdening bureaucracy that hangs over the schools
system (what's the difference between an OFSTED inspector
and a terrorist? you can negotiate with a terrorist).
Her approach is eminently business-like. A mission
statement is hatched, posters printed, walls painted and lines
put on the stairs for two-way traffic. From then on the changes
are relentless. Photographs are taken of all the children,
she shakes hands with each end every one; she allows the buildings
to open during breaks, giving them all more space; gets football
and basketball lines drawn in the playground, buys the balls,
sets up protected areas in the playground, installs electronic
signs for broadcasting birthdays and general news (throwing
out the hated tannoy system, which had been used to call children
for punishment)... And these are just a few of the hundreds
of practical changes the team makes - in only a matter of
weeks!
She's also clear about the children being the
first priority. Hers is a Lord of the Flies view: 'they'll
take you over if you don't get there first'. This means getting
tough on attendance. You can't teach children who aren't there,
so she has a blitz on truants. She firmly believes that children
like an ordered environment and starts a prefect system, gets
tough on uniforms and bans gum and baseball hats. Mobiles
are confiscated. Late attendees are handed an alarm clock
set to 7.30 am! You can't help but be impressed with her energy
and the rate at which new ideas are implemented.
This is matched with a tough stance on staff,
who she sees as a little sloppy, coming to school in flip-flops
and being themselves often late for lessons. There are a few
teachers who don't take to her methods, but she wins over
most and recruits to replace those who leave. Teacher sickness
was endemic and she's more than a little suspicious about
some of the reasons. She also pushes them out into the corridors
and playground, making them much more visible to the children.
Some teachers also need basic subject and teaching guidance,
including one who admits, 'I never did know how to use the
apostrophe'.
Her sensitivity to parents is based on a belief
that many have bad memories of their own schooling. She makes
sure they are welcomed to the school and gets them involved
with their children and school activities. She takes a US
idea of school ushers, picked up from a conference, and gets
them into the school. Links are also made with the local police
and shopkeepers, where pilfering and abuse are common.
She brings in an impressive string of 'role
models' such Frank Bruno, Kevin Keegan, the actor Ralph Fiennes
and Cherie Booth among others. A May ball is a huge success,
despite teacher resistance and non-attendance. She also musters
support from business and even Harrow, who agree to let her
use their playing fields.
The denouement is the OFSTED inspection, which
decides whether they come off Special Measures. The pressure
is on and made worse when Marie is mugged on her way home
after a late night at the school, but they pass - and celebrate
as a team; teachers, children, parents and the community.
As the report states; attendance is normal, teaching strong,
pupil behaviour is good and the school is truly part of the
community. A fine school with lots of problems that they have
constantly to overcome.
The only sour note at the end was the Governors'
antagonism towards her obvious choice for successor - Sean.
They resent her guidance and choose an outsider. However,
she's pleased that he's passed the new National Professional
Qualification for Headteachers, and he gets a Headteacher
job elsewhere.
You may disagree with her methods, but if you
want a real case study about a real school achieving real
success - this is the real thing.
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